Screen plate for clay machines



April 28, 1925.

F.v C..CARNAHAN SCREEN PLATE FOR CLAY MACHINES 1 Filed July 24,1924

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 m 0 7 z I 4 o Z m, 0 Z 7 N W u a m L m w April 28, 1925. 1,535,290

' F. C. CARNAHAN I SCREEN PLATE FOR CLAY MACHINES Filed July 24, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J g a z ,5 2- v w '11 n 5 -mlu I 1 Li? I 'I 2.3 a

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W l l 1% 3%0214401 T11. 2111 an Patented Apr. 28, 1925.,

FRANK O. OARNAI-IAN, OF BRAZIL, INDIANA.

SCREEN PLATE FOR CLAY MACHINES.

Application filed July 24, 1924. Serial No. 728,022'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. Calamari/in, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brazil, in the county of Clay and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Screen Plate for Clay Machines, of which the following is a speci fication. V V

The present invention relates to clay working machinery, and more particularly to the screen used in the grinding pan of the same.

An object of this invention isto provide a screen plate which is quickly and readily replaced when worn out.

Another object of this invention is to provide a screen plate which may be constructed in small compact sections and which detachably fit into a frame, permitting the replacement of individually worn out plates at small cost.

A further object ofthis invention is to provide a screen plate frame which may be fitted into the grinding dry pan to hold the screen plates rigidly in place, so that they will not become displaced during the process of pulverizing the clay in the dry pan.

The above and various other objects of this invention will in partv be described in, and in part be understood from, the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a grinding dry pan used in clay working machinery with screen plates constructed according to this invention mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enhirged fragmentary transverse section taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of a pair of screen plates mounted in their frame.

Fig. 4 is a detail top plan View of the frame with the plates removed, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken through one of the screen frames with the plates thereon.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a dry pan such as is used in the pulverizing of clay used in the manufacture of clay products. A mulling Wheel 11 is adapted to engage the upper surface of the dry pan 10 and to p-ulvcrize clay or the like which is forced between the upper surface of the dry pan 10 and the periphery of the mulling wheel 11. A plurality of supports 12 are radially secured to the dry pan 10 at their inner ends, and at their outer ends to a ring 13. It is, of course, understood that the supports 12 and the dry pan 10 may be cast in metal in one piece, or the supports 12 may be bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the dry pan.

An arcuate frame 14 is fitted into the opening between the outer edge of the dry pan 10 and the inner edge of the ring 13, and is adapted to seat at both ends on the supports 12, to which th frame 14 is secured by bolts or the like. The outer edge of the frame 14 is offset inwardly at 15 to receive a flange 16 which is secured to the outer ends of the supports 12. The tiangc 16 is adapted to hold the frame 14 against movement and to relieve the strain on the bolts which hold the frame in place. The ends of th frames 14 have inwardly extending lugs 17 which have openings 18 therein for receiving belts or the like. An arcuate brace 19 extends substantially concentrically through the middle of the frame. The frame 14 has a groove 20 extending around the inner edge thereof, and into this groove is adapted to be fitted a plurality of screen plates 21.

The screen plates 21 preferably have their upper surface flush with the top of the frame, so that when the pulverized clay is forced off of the dry pan 10 it will readily slide over the frame 14 and onto the screen plates 21. Th screen plates 21 have a plurality of downwardly flaring spaced apart openings 22 through which the pulverized clay is adapted to fall, said openings 22 being of suiiicient size to permit only pul verized clay to pass therethrough, after which the clay is ready to be put through the formation process in the manufacture of clay products. The screen plates 21 are secured to the frames 14 by bolts 23 or the like, which extend through the openings 18 in the lugs 17, the upper ends of which lie flush with thetop of the plates so that they will not offer resistance to the clay sliding over the top of the plates.

The openings 22 in the plates 21 may be of any desired configuration or size, depending only on the degree of pulverization desired, it being understood that the clay which has not been pulverized sufficiently to pass through the openings 22 will be swept under the mulling wheel 11 until it is pulverized sufliciently to pass through the openings.

In operation the screen plates 21 are fitted llU Ill

into the frames 14 and securely bolted by bolts 23 or the like. The frames are then placed upon the supports 12 and securely held in place by bolts 24: or the like. Dur ing the process of pulverizing the clay it is found that the inner plates receive the most wear and are unlit for use before the outer plates have worn down to an appreeiable extent. Vv hcn it is found that the inner plates have worn down so much that the openings 22 are permitting large particles of clay to fall therethrough, it is an easy matter to unfasten the bolts 23 and lift the inner plates 21 out of the frame and place new plates therein. The plates 21 are preferably of small size so that they may be easily handled and very economically constructed. Of course, when the outer plates become worn and unlit for use they may be replaced in a similar manner to the inner plates, but experience has demonstrated that the inner plates receive the most wear and one outer plate will probably outlast several inner plates.

According to the present method of constructing the screen plates, they are cast in one piece, and the construction of each plate is expensive in that they are very heavy and hard to handle, and when they become worn near their inner edges, the entire section must be replaced, requiring considerable time on the part of the mechanics and costly delay through the suspension of work while the plate is being replaced. lVith the use of the present invention only a few minutes is required to replace a worn plate, and the plate being small it is easily handled and very economically constructed. It will, of course, be appreciated that the worn plates cannot be repaired, and are consequently useless when worn out. The economy of the small plates is thus readily apparent, as the small plates when worn out are practically one hundred percent worn out, while the large plates now in use b a v-c only their inner edges worn out and are otherwise approximately seventy-live per cent lit for use.

The screen frames 14- are relatively small and extend between the radial braces 12 so that the entire dry pan may be easily and quickly set up when manufactured, and so that should the frames 14: for any reason become damaged or broken they may be readily and easily replaced.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the size, configuration and material used in the construction of this invention, such changes being restricted omy by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. In a clay working machine, the combination of a dry pan comprising a central portion, a plurality of spaced apart radial braces secured at their inner ends to the central portion, a rim at the outer end of said braces, a plurality of flanges interspersed between the outer ends of said braces and said rim, means for securing said flanges to the rim, an arcuate screen plate frame adapted to seat on the braces between the rim and the central portion comprising an inner and an outer section, said frame being adapted to seat at opposite ends upon said braces, said frame having grooves inwardly thereof, and having its opposite outer end portions offset for receiving said flanges to hold the frame against circumferential movement, a plurality of bolts for holding the opposite ends of said frame in tight engagement with said braces, a pair of screen plates having elongated openings therethrough for sifting pulverized material and adapted to seat in said grooves, and means for detachably securing said screen plates within said frame.

2. In a clay working machine the combination of a dry pan comprising a central portion, a plurality of spaced apart braces extending outwardly of said central portion, a locking flange secured across the outer ends of said braces, a rim secured to said flanges, an arcuate screen plate frame adapted to seat at opposite ends on said braces, said frame having its opposite outer end portions offset for receiving said lock.- ing flanges to hold the frame against circumferential movement, a plurality of lugs Within said frame and having openings therethrough, a pair of screen plates adapted to seat in said frame, said screen plates having elongated downwardly flaring openings therethrough for sifting pulverized material, a plurality of bolts adapted to extend through said screen plates and said openings in said lugs for holding the plates in the frame, and means for securing the frame to said braces.

3. In a clay working machine the combination of a dry pan comprising a central portion, a plurality of radiating braces extending outwardly thereof, a plurality of arcuate locking flanges transversely secured to the outer ends of said braces, a rim engaging the outer side of said flanges, means for securing said rim to said flanges, a screen plate frame adapted to be positioned between said rim and said central portion and seating at opposite ends on said braces, said frame having its opposite outer end portions offset to receive said flanges for locking the frame against circumferential movement, a pair of screen plates adapted to seat in said frame, said plates having openings therethrough for sifting pulverized material, means for holding the plates within the frame, and means for holding the frame to the braces.

FRANK G. CARNAHAN. 

